Visitors Welcome

Loved ones are welcome again.

It’s been a hard year. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our community has faced a number of new challenges as we have worked to protect each other’s health and well-being. Perhaps one of the biggest of those challenges has been separation from others – whether that means forgoing in-person gatherings, grabbing coffee with a friend or visiting a loved one who is receiving care at the hospital.

As we come closer than ever to putting the pandemic behind us, we are pleased to announce that our visitation restrictions are relaxing, and loved ones are welcome again. We know that it has been difficult to be apart from family and friends who are receiving care, and we want to thank you for your patience and understanding while restrictions were in place to protect the health of our patients and staff.

We are so pleased to welcome our patients’ loved ones back to the hospital to visit. Our updated visitor policy can be found below.

It’s been a hard year. Let’s make the next one better…together.

Trios Health Temporary Policy Visitor Restrictions & Personal Protective Equipment Conservation

Updated November 18, 2021

Trios Health is committed to protecting the health and safety of everyone who walks through our doors. We are continuing to work closely with the Benton-Franklin Health District and following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure the safety of our patients and staff.

Effective Nov. 18, 2021, we are pleased to revert to our pre-COVID visiting policy and allow visitors again for most patients. Some restrictions will remain in place, including for COVID-19 patients and ICU patients. Additionally, out of an abundance of caution and to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses, we will be limiting entry points to the hospital.

Current visitor restrictions are explained below. Please call 509.221.7000 with any questions regarding the visitor policy.

Policy

No patients with COVID-19 or who are under investigation for COVID-19 will have visitor(s) with the exception of the below. Each exception will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for patients near the end-of-life or to help reduce disruptive/unsafe patient behavior. Department Directors/Managers/Supervisors, in consultation with the patient's provider, will determine when visitors will be permitted for a patient with COVID-19 or who are under investigation for COVID-19.

1. COVID-19 positive patients near death
   Patients within 12 hours (as close as the provider can predict) of death or whose condition has deteriorated may have up to a maximum of two family members visit at one time.
2. Reducing COVID-19 patient's disruptive/unsafe behavior
   Visitors may be permitted into a COVID-19 positive patient's room to help patients with special care needs (i.e., developmentally delayed, post-traumatic stress disorder, etc.) or whose behavior improves when the visitor is present. This decision will be made by the healthcare team, who will consider input from the visitor (home care provider/family member, etc.)

Intensive Care Unit

Up to 2 visitors at any given time for non-COVID patients will be allowed. COVID-19 positive patients will be allowed visual visitation through glass facilitated as staff is available with a maximum of 15 minute intervals. ICU staff may request visitors to leave for specific intervals to facilitate rest periods for patients.

Family Birth Center

COVID-19 positive patients will continue to be allowed one support person

Special Care Nursery

Both parents or a parent with one other visitor (2 max at a time)

COVID-19 Screening Process for Visitors

1. Visitor check-in
   • Upon arrival, visitors will be screened for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 before proceeding to a patient's room or Trios Medical Group clinic.
   • Visitors will be asked to wear a bracelet identifying them as having gone through the COVID-19 screening process.
   • Visitors found inside Trios without a bracelet will be asked to leave Trios. They may re-enter Trios after going through the COVID-19 screening process.
   • Visitors are required to wear a mask at all times while in a Trios Health facility. Exceptions are managed on a case-by-case basis by Trios Leadership.
2. Isolation and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
   • Visitors are required to implement strategies to prevent the spread of disease by washing hands and wearing personal protective equipment upon entering the patient's room to visit
   • Staff should educate visitors regarding:
     • Washing their hands upon entry and exit of the patient's room
     • Purpose of PPE and the appropriate way to don and doff the PPE
     • Expectation PPE must be worn at all times while in the patient's room
     • Expectation PPE must not be worn outside the patient's room
   • Visitors who refuse to don PPE or wear it incorrectly will be asked to leave Trios Health
3. PPE Preservation
   • Visitors may not use/take more PPE other than what he/she needs to enter a patient's room
   • Visitor caught taking PPE or using more PPE than needed for entering a patient's room will be asked to leave